Just finished the Cazalet novels by Elizabeth Jane Howard, feeling lost

Another vote for Elena Ferrante for a bit of a change of scene but still great saga. Read sword of honour series years ago and remember really enjoying it.

You could try AS Byatt's 'Frederica Quartet', starting with The Virgin in the Garden.

Ohh another recommendation for Spoils of Time.

I love a good family saga, I might start that one again

Tobee, I completely agree with you. And I agree the Forsyte Saga would be a good follow-up, although IMHO the last three books in the long series tail off in a disappointing way.

Susan Howatch's big family saga books are good - Cashelmara, Penmarric, wheel of fortune. They are based in the 19th/20th century but take their inspiration from historic dynasties such as the plantagenets.

Persephone publishing have lots of good books about families and women - Dorothy Whipple is a partcular favourite

tobee - the radio version is wonderful, and there's hours and hours of it, which is great.

It has huge omissions - Nora, Jessica, Raymond, Simon and Teddy are completely excised from it - but it's so well done, and it stays so true to the spirit of the girls that you find yourself not really minding!

I found some of Margaret Dickinson's books a really good read, in a similar vein- 'The Other Side of Paradise', 'The Little Ship' and 'Boat Girls' we're all good.

I think Louise was going to lose Sebastian. I felt that it would be very hard for Louise to reconstruct their relationship on one half day a week, with Michael and his horrible parents otherwise doing full time propaganda on him. I also thought it seemed very likely that Louise would marry again, probably quite quickly.

I think it would be impossible to film. Anyone hear the radio version? I didn't but imagine that would be more possible but would have to be severely abridged. And that's what makes the books compelling. The length. The episodes from all the characters, children, adults, outsiders, servants. Sometimes just one person and other times a group. Also, a character in "the present" and then remembering and revealing what's happened in the interim, since we last heard from them.

I loved the Cazalets and have read all of them many times. Hated th TV series though didn't watch it past the first episode. I have also read all of Penny Vincenzi and have just started reading them again from the beginning (Old Sins is the first one). The last couple have been a little disappointing but the early ones and the Spoils of Time trilogy were great. I need to try the Elena Ferrante again - I just couldn't get into it

annandale there was a scene where a grinning Sid makes a move on Rachel, who is in bed, and Rachel looks horrified. Nothing like the lovely subtle relationship portrayed in the book. I seem to remember a heartbreaking scene in the book where Rachel is poorly, and Sid holds her all night, knowing that is as close as she will ever be physically, ever.

I felt that Howard left the story of Louise and her son hanging a bit... what do you suppose happened (or might have happened if Howard had addressed it) to Louise and Sebastian?

Really Clawdy? What did they do to Rachel and Sid? I can imagine them not coping very well with either the ambiguity of Rachel's perspective or the greater clarity in Casting Off?

I hated the TV adaptation from the off, and turned off after about 10?minutes when they were doing some kind of scary music for Edward coming up the stairs to say goodnight to Louise. I thought the sets were beyond perfect, but they hadn't managed to solve the 'problem' of such intense emotional description and pages of interior monologue except by people looking intensely at each other to no great effect. I also found that in my head all the dialogue was in a less posh accent, but the more accurate and more cut glass accents in the TV series were very off-putting to me.

I'm on book 3, and slowing down so I don't finish the series too quickly. I'm really enjoying them.

I remember the tv adaptation. They completely misrepresented the Rachel - Sid relationship, and it annoyed me so much.

Oh god I totally sympathise....I felt bereft after I finished the Cazalet chronicles.
I loved Neville as a child.
I feel that no one quite captures how children speak as well as Jane Howard.
If I were you, I would read something completely different for now as anything else is likely to pail if in direct (and recent) comparison with the Cazalet Chronicles.

I remember marge piercy gone to soldiers being just as compelling but haven't read it for 25 years!

Following with interest

I know exactly what you mean about Kate Atkinson seeming clunky

EmGee I love the Horseman Riding By trilogy. Have you read the God is An Englishman series too - more industrial, and starts a bit earlier, but just as well told. I've re-read both of them several times.
I also loved the Cazalet books. I would love another good meaty series to get my teeth into

I loved them too (although it took me a while to get into the first one).

How about RF Delderfield's series 'A Horseman riding by'? This is fab! I read it years ago and think I might have to re-read it.

I'm only halfway through the first book.
The writing reminds me a bit of the 'good' Rosamund Pilchers, before she got doddery and mini-series-y. Shell Seekers and September were good.

Oh yes, and the Balkan Trilogy?

How about embarking on Elena Ferrante's Neopolitan Novels? Very different but exquisite writing and they are a real saga.

The Cazalet audio books are fantastic, by the way. I've just started listening from the beginning again. It's about 60 hours wo th!